English pronunciation · Words Starting with M
Mercantile Pronunciation
Mercantile is pronounced MUR-kuhn-tyl, IPA /ˈmɝkənˌtaɪl/.
MUR-kuhn-tyl
US /ˈmɝkənˌtaɪl/ · UK /ˈmɜːkɑːnˌtaɪl/
Syllables: MUR · kuhn · tyl (3 syllables, stress on syllable 1)
adjective: Relating to trade, merchants, and the business of buying and selling.
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Mercantile in a Sentence
- The family made its money in mercantile shipping.
- A mercantile exchange opened on the same street in 1881.
- Their interest in the colony was purely mercantile.
Common Mispronunciations of Mercantile
Not mer-KAN-tyl
The beat stays on the opening MUR. The middle syllable is a light kuhn with no clear a in it.
Not MUR-kuhn-teel
The last part rhymes with mile or fades to tuhl, but it never takes the long ee of steel.
Tip: Both MUR-kuhn-tyl and MUR-kuhn-tuhl are in use, and American speakers move between them freely.
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